Transport Workers Union Has Had It At American - Four Years Long Enough To Settle Contract

http://www.laborradio.org/node/12964

Submitted by Doug Cunningham on February 17, 2010 - 4:56pm
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One more round of contract talks with American Airlines and if a deal can’t be reached, the Transport Workers Union wants out of mediation. The union represents more than 26,000 mechanics, baggage handlers, and other employees at the airline. If federal mediators agree to release the union from negotiations it could start the strike clock ticking. Most TWU members have been in negotiations with American since 2007, but some started negotiations as early as 2006. The union’s international president James Little said in a statement that “four years is time enough to settle a contract.” The union is fighting changes to pensions and retiree health benefits and is also protested a proposed 1.5 percent raise in the last year of the new contract, but lump sum payments and not raises in the other years. The flight attendants have also expressed they plan to request to be released from mediation if a contract agreement is not reached by the end of this most recent round of bargaining. If released the President or Congress could call an end to any strikes under the Railway Labor Act. President Bill Clinton did as much when pilots went on strike in 1997.